Blades of Destiny
by dinamight23
Summary: She hid from her past. He refused to let go of his. Two people who had lost everything would find everything in each other in the midst of a battle 500 years in the making. AU I/K, M/S
1. Prologue: Stories, Foretelling & Dreams

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Rumiko Takahashi does.

Summary: She hid from her past. He refused to let go of his. Two people who had lost everything would find everything in each other in the midst of a battle 500 years in the making. AU I/K, M/S

_WARNING: This fanfic is rated X and you know what this means._

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Opening text:

_On the summer of 1996, the members of the Sanggre, Keepers of Light and descendants of Midoriko, held their annual council call in their clan house, which was secluded and located in the mountain ranges of Northern Japan. For more than half a millennium, this mythical clan, most thought to be extinct also guarded the legendary Shikon No Tama and had been fighting a war against evil victoriously… until tonight._

**PROLOGUE: STORIES, FORETELLING AND DREAMS**

"Kagome," Akira called her daughter lovingly as he looked at the red horizon. The air was uncomfortably humid. The birds flew in circles as they screeched to the heavens.

"It'll rain soon," he whispered to himself.

Azure pools watched a blood red sky cracked open as the first drops of summer rain fell, wetting her young face. She giggled mischievously, raising her dainty hands up in the air as if trying to catch all of them. She had not had the chance to play under the rain all year and she refused to just throw the moment away. After all, she was still 10.

"10 more minutes, Papa!" a young Kagome stalled waving her hand, and then sprinted away.

Akira smiled and shook his head in response. He knew how much she had loved the rain. And it seemed that during most of the important moments in her life, it rained. It rained the moment she cried to the heavens when she was born. It was raining when she first took her first step, as it was when she had spoken her first word. Now, the rain poured. What could possibly happen today that would signify one turning point in Kagome's life?

"Oomph!" he bellowed, as he stumbled backward.

"Gotcha!" Kagome shouted with the one ginormous grin as she hugged her father's waist.

Akira chuckled and raised an eyebrow upon seeing mud covered her all over.

"I did say 10 minutes, didn't I?" she bubbly said as she caught her breath.

"Yes, you did," Akira said as he playfully pinched her nose. "Now go and get cleaned up."

"Okay," Kagome said and instantly sauntered away, but not before giving him a kiss. Chuckling, Akira watched his daughter sprinted inside the house leaving a wet and muddy trail behind her.

"She really is your daughter. She's as spirited as you," he heard his wife, Kaori say and felt her loving arms hugging him from behind.

"You were also as zestful as her when you were her age," Akira replied, chuckling still.

"Sometimes I even think she's more of a boy than a girl," Kaori added as she held his hands and led him to sit down. She stared at the pouring rain outside. She could feel that something would happen today, and so she dreaded every drop of it.

"Akira?" she asked.

"Hmmm?"

"Is the prophecy really true? I mean about our Kagome… about her being the key to the Shikon no Tama and everything else that goes with it," she asked worriedly.

"Yes," he simply answered.

"But how can that be? She's just a girl, Akira. She's my little girl. She's supposed to live happily, get a good career, marry and have her own children someday. She's not Midoriko's heiress. She's not the warrior who will fight against Naraku's resurrection. I refuse to accept that fact. I mean… we live in a modern world. It's 1996 for crying out loud, not the warring era of Sengoku Jidai," she ranted as tears ran down her face.

"Kaori…."

"Please Akira… please tell me you will not let Kagome go when the time comes. You know the dangers she will face. You know what holds for her if she fights. Please… I am asking you as your love and wife and the mother of your precious Kagome. Please, I beg of you," Kaori sobbed.

"Kaori… you have known Kagome's duty from the moment she is born. She bears Midoriko's light and mark. She has no choice but to embrace her destiny," Akira explained calmly at his wife as she sobbed. "Aren't you proud your daughter will save us all?" he added.

"I fear for her, Akira. I fear for her," she continued to sob as he hugged her tightly, comforting her.

"Papa? Why is Mama crying?" a now clean Kagome asked once she had entered the room.

"No, Little One, your Mama just got something in her eye," Akira explained. Kagome looked at him quizzically but just shrugged off her inquiry.

"Can you tell me the story again, Papa?" she asked her father as she sat down on his lap and hugged his waist. Ever since she was old enough to hear, he had told her stories of their clan; tales that only existed in their line; tales that she would need for her to fulfill her duty.

"Alright," Akira agreed to her request as he chuckled heartily. "But where do you want to begin, Kagome?"

"The beginning," she answered enthusiastically.

"Okay, let's see. Long ago, in a time when many youkai and war ravaged the land, there was a young warrior priestess named Midoriko who once fought a great battle against thousands of demons. It seemed that the battle was endless. However, on the eve of the autumn equinox, as a last resort to defeat the powerful demon that had clutched her with its massive jaws, Midoriko poured all her spiritual power as she seized the demon's spirit and bound it to hers. In exchange, she gave her life away to be the shell of the war between good and evil. This battle created the Shikon no Tama, the enchanted jewel which was believed to grant any wish one desired," Akira started as Kagome listened attentively.

"Word about the power of the jewel reached greedy and power-hungry demons as well as humans, and they decided to seek out the jewel. In an attempt to protect the jewel, the remaining warriors of light, who feared that the jewel would be used for personal gains, entrusted it to the Sanggre. That's us," he added, tapping the young Kagome's nose. "…Because they believed we could keep the jewel hidden and protected for the rest of time."

"We are strong, aren't we Papa?" the ten year old Kagome asked proudly, causing her mother to chuckle softly.

"Of course, we are. We have protected the jewel up to now, haven't we?" Akira affirmed lovingly while Kagome nodded.

"The jewel was guarded by lines of priests and priestesses that followed, devoted to only protecting the jewel. But that oath was broken 550 years ago when the jewel was under the guardianship of the young priestess Seira, daughter of Tetsuo 666th leader of Sanggre, as she was tricked into stealing the jewel from its keep. The person behind the trickery was her human lover named Onigumo. He was an evil man who wanted to become a demon. The priestess, true to her heart, made the wish for Onigumo to be a demon. But at the same time, her deceitful lover wished another instead - for all the power and evil in the world to be his. Two conflicting wishes… one made out of love, and the other by selfish greed perturbed balance between good and evil within the jewel - tainting it. Darkness overwhelmed light as Onigumo's greed surpassed that of any love the priestess had for him, and caused the balance to snap, releasing the soul of the demon from inside the jewel, purifying the Shikon no Tama in the process. In exchange, it sucked the young priestess's soul leaving her lying lifeless on the ground, as the jewel returned to its keep," he continued but was interrupted with the booming bell of the shrine.

Kaori stood up abruptly and exchanged alarmed looks with Akira before sauntering outside the room quietly. She hastily walked towards the main shrine. Kagome remained oblivious as Akira continued with his storytelling.

"Onigumo, crippled by the immense power the jewel had emitted, lay beside Shiera as he desperately gasped the final moments of his life. As a last resort of a dying man, he made a pact with the demon's soul to restore his life and give him its power, and in exchange, he would be the demon's living shell. He had also promised to destroy Midoriko's line and the Shikon no Tama, since they were the only threats powerful enough to defeat him. He was granted the power and an almost eternal life that he had so much craved. Thus, the dark hanyou known as Naraku was born."

"For 50 years, Naraku pillaged the land and made an empire on his own to counter the power of the Sanggre warriors. However, he did not succeed as the Sanggre found themselves strong allies from different races. Finally, Naraku was defeated and his body and soul were banished and sent to hell together with his minions. But before he was completely engulfed by the darkness, he swore to come back again, to take revenge against the Sanggre, to finally destroy the Shikon no Tama and build his empire once again with blood and flames. The remaining Sanggre warriors were fearful of what Naraku's second coming would bring about since not one of them was powerful and pure enough to draw out and control the power of the Shikon no Tama. So they hid it… away from the world until the royal line would produce someone of Midoriko's equal, someone who could call upon the jewel's true power and finally destroy Naraku."

Akira was about to continue when Kagome's head rolled to the side revealing her serene sleeping face. Akira watched the sleeping bundle in his arms with warm deep blue eyes. His daughter, who had his deep ocean pools but everything else she got from her beautiful mother, only whimpered as he brought her down on her futon. She was still ten and hardly knew the struggles of life and the dangers it brought especially to their clan. But he believed Kagome to be strong. She would be; she should be. Her race dictated it from her. Her destiny required it of her. Though Kagome had always missed the part of their history about her prophesized being Midoriko's equal, she somehow knew that she was born to be great as what her father had always told her.

"You are meant to do great things, my Little One. You are meant to save us all. And you will - in time. Goodnight, My Kagome," Akira whispered lovingly against Kagome's forehead before kissing it.

He stood up, closed the shoji door on her room, and briskly, yet, quietly walked towards the main shrine. The mark on his hand lit bright blue as he neared the shrine, a sign of imminent danger. He was Akira 1567th, the current leader of Sanggre, the race that of ancient warrior priests and priestesses and direct descendants of Midoriko. Protector and warriors of light, the Sanggre held the secret of the Shikon no Tama, the jewel of the four souls.

However, to those who were oblivious to Akira's history and true identity, he was Dr. Akira Sagara, an attending in the neurology unit of Tokyo General Hospital. Sanggre had been an ancient line that valued tradition; yet, they had also embraced the ideology of change brought by the passing of time. With this, the ancient clan had somehow survived and the public oblivious to their existence.

He opened the shoji door of the Main Shrine and a frantic council blurted out their concerns alarmingly.

"AKIRA! We have trouble," Ryoshi shouted gasping for air as his trembling hands held a burnt parchment, but he was interrupted by Muso, Akira's right hand.

"AKIRA! The demons… They have surrounded us. I do not know how, but they have found us. They have broken the barriers and only the last one outside the gates is left standing," Muso shouted alarmingly.

"How can that be? I've thought the location of this place is unknown except for the Sanggre," someone said in the midst of the confusion.

"I know we've been followed by demons since we've arrived here, but to actually find us here when we've put up several barriers around the vicinity is simply impossible," Ryoshi said as he turned towards a grim Akira.

"How's the last barrier doing?" Akira asked.

"It is quickly weakening, Akira," Muso replied.

"That can't be possible," Akira exclaimed disbelievingly. "How come 7 barriers have been destroyed in such a short time Muso?"

"There's a dark miko named Tsubaki with them. She's leading the demon swarm and has infiltrated the barriers in record time," Muso explained. "It's only a matter of minutes before they breach our last defense and reach us here. What shall we do, Akira?"

Akira looked at the council as he searched his thoughts for a decision. His gaze was now fixed on Kaori who was standing in the corner of the room. However, Ryoshi interrupted his musing.

"Akira, you need to read this," Ryoshi said as he gave the burnt parchment he had held a while ago.

"Alas – I say to you, the Sakuras will bleed in flames and blood. The warrior's line will be broken. Lives will be spent. And evil will make himself known once more," Akira read. "What does this mean, Ryoshi?"

"This is what we have recovered from Katsu's house after he has burned it down and fled with his daughter Kikyo 2 weeks ago. Akira, this passage is from Katsushiro 1067th's prophecies of death, which has long been missing from the archives. It seems that Katsu has interpreted the writings and decided to flee and save himself from the dangers ahead," Ryoshi explained breathlessly.

He leaned closer to Akira, and with a chillingly low voice, he spoke, "Akira, this passage talks about the total annihilation of the Sanggre."

"The warrior's line will be broken…" Akira whispered.

"The demons are preparing the path for Naraku's return by getting rid of us first," Ryoshi rasped.

"A massacre…" Akira uttered dreadfully.

They needed to do something.

"Kaori," Akira called.

"Yes, Akira," she replied.

"Take Kagome to a safe place," he told his beloved softly.

She was about to protest but he did not give her the chance.

"I know you will protest and will choose to fight alongside me, but our little Kagome needs you more than I do," he whispered as he caressed her cheeks.

She nodded silently, a lone tear falling down her cheek, which was easily caught by Akira's loving hand.

"But Akira, we are surrounded and Kaori's spiritual power is not enough to fight the demon swarm. We need to hold our ground and keep the barrier intact. That's our only chance," Muso said firmly.

It was true. Kaori's spiritual power would not be enough to protect Kagome. In fact, Kagome even had more spiritual power than she did. But experience and training made all the difference, and Akira knew that.

"No," Akira said. "We will not have any chance if we only defend ourselves. We need to fight."

"Kaori, take Kagome. Muso, please escort her," he ordered.

"Akira," Kaori hugged him tightly and sobbed.

"My heart will always be with you," he whispered capturing her lips for a passionate kiss, pouring all his love into that kiss - their last kiss. She reciprocated fiercely as her tears flowed freely.

"Go and keep our Kagome safe," he uttered once they released each other from the kiss.

She nodded and walked quickly out of the shrine.

"Muso," Akira called. "Please take care of my family."

"With my life, Akira," Muso answered and smiled at his best friend and leader before following Kaori.

"Thank you," Akira whispered.

"Akira," Ryoshi called, still waiting for his decision.

"Ryoshi, please ring the shrine bell. Let the others know the word. The rest of us will stay here and fend off the swarm. If the prophecy holds true, we will all perish tonight. But we will not go without a fight," Akira spoke firmly, his mark now a blinding blue light.

_They are near._ He thought fiercely.

"AKIRA! The demons have breached the barrier. They're coming," Aki shouted.

Now, the war had begun once more….

"Hurry up, Kagome. We need to hurry up," Kaori called to her daughter who was trailing behind her. Muso followed closely, guarding their rear. They were still inside the grounds when the demons finally brought down the barrier and reached the shrine.

"Mama, what's going on? Where's Papa?" Kagome asked trying to keep up with the two adults.

They now reached the clearing where the Sakura's grew in full blossom. The rain continued to pour soaking them wet. The ground was muddy making it difficult to run. Kaori, out of concern and worry for Kagome to keep up with them, dropped her guard down and turned around to face her daughter, unaware of the dozens of demons coming their direction.

"Kaori! Look out!" Muso shouted and moved quickly in front to erect a barrier as more demons came.

"Muso!" Kaori called shielding Kagome.

"You need to go!" Muso told her. "You need to keep Kagome safe. She's our only hope."

Kaori nodded firmly as she roughly carried Kagome and sprinted towards the safest place she could possibly think of, the underground shrine, where most of the spiritual energy of the place was centered. It was a sanctuary but only for one, as it could only shelter that much. Kagome clung to her mother desperately as she searched her surroundings for her father. Finally, she spotted him.

"Papa!" she yelled but received no response.

Kaori ran hurriedly, yet, rather blindly that she tripped on a rock. They sprawled to the ground painfully with Kagome landing on her back just three feet away from her mother.

"Mama," Kagome called, but froze.

A gigantic bear demon stood only 5 feet away from her mother. Its eyes were bloodshot, and it raised its claws to strike.

"Mama, watch out!" she yelled in warning.

Kaori reacted just in time and dodged the bear youkai's massive claws. But the demon was relentless and Kaori had no choice but to tell Kagome to go on her own.

"Kagome! Run and hide in the underground shrine! Remember your training, concentrate and your power will materialize before you," Kaori told Kagome while she ran for cover. "Be brave My Kagome," she whispered and threw an energy ball at the bear youkai.

Kagome ran as fast as she could. The underground shrine was at the farthest and highest point of the shrine grounds. Her Sanggre mark was a blinding silver light as she tried to outrun the five demons on her tail. She was near. She was so close.

But she stumbled.

She felt a clawed hand grasped her tiny neck. Her hands automatically moved and grasped the said hand as she attempted to free herself. She was now in midair, dangling helplessly in the hand of a horrendous youkai.

"Let go of me or I'll purify your ugly asses to hell!" she shouted. Now, where did she learn to cuss like that?

The demons laughed hysterically.

"What can a little girl like you do?" one asked showing yellowish fangs. He was about to lick Kagome's cheek as if tasting her, but he was blown away by a spirit blast. Kagome watched as one by one the demons hit the ground. She turned towards their attacker and smiled.

"Papa!"

"Kagome!" Akira yelled as he ran towards her. He embraced her little daughter and she clung to him.

"Here, Kagome. Take this," Akira said putting his enchanted beads around Kagome's neck. "This will protect you Little One. Remember, whatever happens, Mama and Papa will always be with you."

She nodded bravely and he kissed her forehead lovingly. "Now go, Kagome. Run. And don't look back," Akira told her firmly.

He watched her little form sauntered as fast as she could go, as she remained unnoticed by the demons around them.

"Live… My Kagome," he whispered.

"Hmmm… How touching Akira. You know she's still gonna die," a sinister voice said from behind him causing his blood to run cold. And he snarled turning around to spat the name of the owner's voice.

"Tsubaki!"

"Glad you still remember me, Beloved," Tsubaki smiled with seductive malice, spitting the last word with so much hate.

"How could I forget the traitor who sold her soul to the demons just to gain more power and eternal youth?" Akira snarled but she only smirked evilly.

"You never have appreciated anything that I have done just to have your love. I have sold my soul to the darkness just for you to love me more; but no, instead, you have chosen to wed a lowly Sanggre. I have been the most beautiful and most powerful of the Sanggre priestesses; yet, you have completely ignored me," she purred darkly, her voice growing louder with every word.

"You have made a fool out of me. And you think that I will just stay quiet out in exile and leave you alone? Of course not, Akira… You and your kin shall pay for what you have done to me," she roared furiously as dark aura surrounded her, taking the shape of two serpents that charged towards Akira. He readied himself, erecting a spiritual barrier but the serpents just passed him by, instead, it headed towards…

"NO! Kaori!" he yelled.

However, he had been too late as the two serpents snaked around his wife's body, constricting her tightly, forcing air out of her lungs as they simultaneously poisoned her with their lethal bites.

Tsubaki laughed maniacally as she mocked him, "Your weakness has always been that woman, Akira. Aren't you glad I've gotten rid of her?"

"You vile, loathsome witch!" Akira spat, his heart breaking as his wife gasped her last breath. He gripped his sword's hilt and readied his stance for attack.

"Tsk… Tsk… Language, Akira… It is not too leader-like of you to speak like that, is it? Don't worry; I'll kill you too. Soon you'll join your love in the depths of hell," Tsubaki said. "Oh sorry, Should I have said heaven?" she added and cackled darkly, savoring his misery.

"I'll kill you if it's the last thing I do," Akira furiously swore, his eyes beaming with conviction.

And he charged, a spiral ball spearheading his attack as he raised his sword to strike and drive through Tsubaki's flesh. But it didn't; instead, it hit the solid sphere of Tsubaki's barrier. She smirked triumphantly.

"You told me yourself Akira, I am more powerful," she hissed, grinning at him as she silently ordered her poison serpents to leave Kaori's dead body and target Kagome.

"You're a terrible, terrible father, Akira. Imagine… leaving a helpless little girl in the middle of this war?" she taunted as he tried to bring down her barrier with his sword.

Akira's eyes narrowed when he heard what she had said and turned to Kagome's direction. He dreadfully sprinted towards her; while in the background, Tsubaki expressed her fake disapproval of him leaving her again for another lowly Sanggre.

"Kagome!" Akira called.

Kagome stopped abruptly and turned towards her father's voice to come face to face with the two serpents trailing behind her. They flew around her closely, yet, not touching her skin.

"Papa!" she called fearfully, as she was rooted in her place.

"Kagome, don't move!" Akira commanded as he ran to her aid.

However, Tsubaki was faster than he was as she had reached Kagome first. True to her resolve of killing his kin, she raised her sword to strike Kagome. Kagome held her breath as she shut her eyes and waited for her imminent demise. But it didn't come. She slowly opened her eyes and gasped. Tsubaki's sword drove into her father's chest. Blood oozed from his heart out to stain his clean robes, as some trickled from his mouth.

"You are a foolish man, Akira. You've always put me last. You've always disappointed me. You've never considered me. And for that, you have to pay," Tsubaki whispered as she withdrew her sword with a strong yank.

Kagome stood rooted on the spot with wide eyes as tears flooded and overflowed, wetting her pretty, little face. At the same time, the rain poured heavily. Her lips trembled as she sobbed.

"No…" Kagome whispered and the air around her boiled.

The droplets of rain never reached her skin as it evaporated in midair. The two serpents became distressed as they continued to hover around her. Her heart broke as she clinched her little fists. Ribbons of energy swirled around her and captured the two serpents hovering above her. The evil incarnates struggled to break free, but were instantly turned to dust from Kagome's immense power.

"Insolent little girl," Tsubaki shouted gritting her teeth as she watched her serpents turn to dust before they even reached the ground. She took a step and raised her sword to attack.

"No…" Kagome whispered, not even looking at Tsubaki. With only a hand, she blocked Tsubaki's sword, and it shattered into pieces upon impact.

The dark miko gasped as she stumbled backwards. Some of the sword's shards had hit her, and now she limped. She stared alarmingly at Kagome's form.

"You're…You're her," Tsubaki tried to say when she had realized who Kagome was. She had never believed in the prophecy of Midoriko's heiress even when she had been a Sanggre, as she had believed that she was the most powerful among the Sanggre priestesses. Right now, she doubted that. But Kagome was just a child and she was sure that Kagome hadn't mastered her powers yet. She smirked as she formulated a scheme.

"I don't think so," Kagome whispered chillingly, sending shivers down Tsubaki's spine. How could a 10-year-old girl say that with so much hate and a promise of death? Kagome pierced her with a deadly look. Her eyes had turned steel blue and a hateful, yet immensely powerful silver swirled in her gaze's midst.

Tsubaki trembled.

"How could you?" Kagome continued to murmur under her breath as if possessed. She surveyed her surroundings. And more silver swam in her orbs as she witnessed her clan being slaughtered: the lifeless and muddy form of her mother, the whole complex burning to the ground, her fellow Sanggre being burned alive, butchered and even eaten by the demons. Weren't they just here for the Sanggre's summer gathering? Hadn't her father told her that this trip was supposed to be fun?

She shut her eyes as she tried to block all those images, but it was too much that all she could see in her mind were the deathly looks of the people she once knew and loved. No matter what she did, she could still see the lifeless forms of her kin, the fire and the blood that now engulfed the beautiful place that she had called her second home. And it was just too much… just too much for a child like her to handle. It suffocated her.

The earth shook as the ribbons of energy surrounding her became one full blast that tripled her size, and in a split second…

BOOM!

Like a bomb, a blinding light burst from within her purifying everything, killing every demon on its path, even extinguishing the fires that burned the buildings. The blast brought Tsubaki on her knees as she fell on the muddy ground. Tsubaki held her chest as she gasped for breath, feeling her life drained away by the minute. And it did, as her youthful pale skin wrinkled; her voice cracked; her joints stiffened, and her energy was sucked away from her. Her life force dwindled. Her life span cut four folds, and she fell face first into the mud.

A deafening scream of "NO" was heard from Kagome as she ran towards Akira, who had fallen to his knees as blood oozed from his wound. She would have caught and cradled him before he hit the ground, but he was excessively heavy for her. She hugged him tightly and sobbed.

"Papa! Don't go! Please don't go!" Kagome pleaded as she cried.

"Shhh…" Akira comforted her. "No need to cry, Little One…."

"No," she shook her head stubbornly while Akira smiled lovingly at her, coughing as he struggled to breathe.

"Do you remember what I've told you?" he rasped, as he wiped her tears.

She nodded.

"Be strong, Kagome. Remember that Mama and I love you so much. I am just sad that I can't be with you for long," he rasped, as his tears fell.

"No!" Kagome shouted at him and jabbed her little fist on his shoulder.

Chuckling, he said, "I'm just sad that I can't watch you grow into a woman like your mother. Can you kick the ass of the man that you'll love for me? As I will not be able to do that."

"No! You're not going to die! I will not forgive you if you do!" she insisted as more tears trailed down her cheeks.

Akira held both her cheeks and stared at his daughter's pretty face. He looked at her eye to eye.

"You will do great things, Kagome. And your Mama and I will always smile down upon you from the heavens… Always… My Kagome…" he whispered as he draw his last breath, closing his eyes forever.

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Stifled sobs filled the dimly lit bedroom as the curled form on the bed trembled and whimpered in her sleep. Azure pools opened languidly to stare at a dark empty space.

_That dream again._ Kagome thought as a hint of silver swirled in the midst of her eyes. She had been having that dream each night for the past week. And her dreams had been becoming clearer, lengthier and alarmingly more real every time she dreamed. So vivid, yet so clear that she could almost smell and taste the metallic tinge of blood in the air that horrible night 12 years ago. It made her stomach revolt, and she ran straight towards the bathroom and threw up.

"What are you telling me Papa?" Kagome asked herself as she faced her 22-year-old reflection. She held her father's enchanted beads and absently twiddled with it.

Water dripped from her washed face and hit the sink. The sound of dripping water echoed throughout the bathroom. She wiped her face with the towel and stared at her tired expression. Eerie silence filled the room. The air around her heated up as the mark on her hand lit silver.

Her heart stopped. A shiver ran up her spine. And she whispered dreadfully, "Something's wrong… Something's coming… And it's coming for me."

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AN: This is formerly Walking Fate. I've decided to change the title again and to revise several points in the story. I've been really excited about this plot but my first attempt to write it has disappointed me a bit because I can't seem to go beyond the 4th chapter. And I just don't want to write random things and ruin the original plot that I've envisioned, so I'm starting over. ;)


	2. Chapter 1: The Hunter and The Hunted

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Rumiko Takahashi does.

Summary: She hid from her past. He refused to let go of his. Two people who had lost everything would find everything in each other in the midst of a battle 500 years in the making. AU I/K, M/S

_WARNING: This fanfic is rated X and you know what this means._

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Previous Chapter:

_"What are you telling me Papa?" Kagome asked herself as she faced her 22-year-old reflection. She held her father's enchanted beads and absently twiddled with it._

_Water dripped from her washed face and hit the sink. The sound of dripping water echoed throughout the bathroom. She wiped her face with the towel and stared at her tired expression. Eerie silence filled the room. The air around her heated up as the mark on her hand lit silver._

_Her heart stopped. A shiver ran up her spine. And she whispered dreadfully, "Something's wrong… Something's coming… And it's coming for me."_

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**CHAPTER 1: THE HUNTER AND THE HUNTED**

Tiny feet briskly walked, soiling pale skin as every stride sank each foot ankle deep to the muddy ground. Equally soiled but bigger set of feet followed the tiny footprints with difficulty, as its owner clutched his side gasping to breath. He instructed the small girl with blue ocean pools to cross the hanging bridge once they had reached the cliff.

"Go, Kagome," Muso told her.

"But how about you?" she asked, as she hesitantly stepped forward and held the rope of the bridge. She grasped her yellow backpack's strap tightly, as she waited for her godfather's answer.

"I will stay and continue to protect this place. Don't worry, I will take care of your Mama and Papa for you. And as for you, you need to go and find yourself a town where you can stay there and live," Muso told her and coughed out crimson blood.

"But!" Kagome protested but he glared at her. "Okay… But you take care okay?" she told him firmly and he smiled nodding at her.

"You are so much like Akira. Kagome… Remember, trust your instincts. Danger lurks in every corner so you need to be careful. Our enemies work sinisterly. They will hurt those close to you to get to you, and so you need to be careful with your identity. Never tell even the people close to you who and what you are, do you understand me Kagome?" Muso told her.

Kagome nodded and crossed the bridge. As soon as she was at the other end of it, she waved at Muso. He smiled, waved at her. He then cut the bridge's ropes, destroying it completely, leaving it to hang on Kagome's side of the ravine. He continued smiling at her, as his mark lit bright green and his aura exploded, sacrificing his life force to form a chameleon-like barrier around the city camouflaging it and completely hiding it from the world.

* * *

_12 years later__ New York City_

A hooded figure sighed deeply. _It__s raining again._ Kagome thought. She hated the rain. It reminded her of that night when her whole race was massacred. She placed the wireless earphone of her MP3 player and tuned in to 92.3 WXRK "K-rock," her bestfriend's favorite FM station.

"_Good morning New York City. It is 10 passed 8 on a rainy but busy morning. Here__s a song for Kagome Higurashi. Your bestfriend Drake Garrett wishes you all the luck coming to school on time today. Well good luck! And those waiting for the upcoming planetary alignment happening 12:01 midnight tonight, don__t lose hope, the weather station have reported we have clear skies tonight. Make sure to catch this one in a billion event with everybody at Times Square here in the Big Apple. Oh, and Miss Higurashi, please do hurry up._

_Um boom ba bay  
Um boom ba bay  
Um Um boom ba bay bay _

_Pressure pushing down on me  
Pressing down on you no man ask for_

She snorted. _Typical Drake, he just loves Queen._ She scoffed in her thoughts shaking her head, as she mounted her mountain bike and rushed through the streets of New York City under the pouring rain. For four years now, she had been living in New York ever since she was 18 and had gone to college there. Her foster family, the Higurashi objected to her decision. However, she had insisted because when she turned 16, she had foresighted the death of her foster family if she stayed, and she couldn't bear that. She wouldn't. She refused to be responsible for their deaths, so here she was, 22 years old and a premed student of Columbia University.

_Under pressure  
That burns a building down  
Splits a family in two  
Puts people on streets_

She drove her way along the familiar street side, as she listened to Queen's Under Pressure.

"Hey Kagome! Late for school again?" a chubby man who owned a bakery called to her, as he wiped his hands with his apron.

"Yeah, Mr. Brown. Gotta hurry up or I'll have Professor Twinklebee breathing fire on my neck again. Nice tie though!!" Kagome yelled out her response. Mr. Brown had always loved wearing ties and Kagome always had complimented him with it.

"Okay! Thanks Kagome!" Mr. Brown said waving at her, as he fixed his tie with his other hand.

"Kagome! Catch!" an old woman who owned a fruit stand called and tossed Kagome an apple. She caught it easily with her left hand. She took a bite from it and grinned widely.

"Thanks for breakfast, Mrs. Hunter!" Kagome yelled.

"No problem, Kagome. And thanks for babysitting Snuffy for me," Mrs. Hunter shouted as Kagome had gone further down the street already. Snuffy was Mrs. Hunter's cat.

"Sure thing, Mrs. Hunter!" Kagome replied as she continued riding down the sidewalk only to stop abruptly when she almost hit someone. Someone who was purposely blocking her way with a determined look.

"Shit! Mitheal… What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to kill us or something?" she scolded the 29 year-old man before her. He had been hitting on her ever since she had arrived and lived around his block. She had turned him down every time but he was relentless. So she just ignored him.

_  
_"Kagome," Mitheal uttered her name with sheer reverence that it was scary. "Be my girl," he continued and stuffed her face with a bouquet of daisies.

She laughed falsely, and said, "Uhh…NO!"

She quickly maneuvered her bike around Mitheal when a car skidded on the road crashing against the fire hydrant, as another car hit a crossing pedestrian.

"Hey you there… Watch out!" a passer-by called loudly, but it was too late as the person was thrown 15 feet in the air and landed on his back with a deadly thud. The traffic police ran towards the guy and shouted "Call an ambulance!"

Kagome quickly stuffed her earphones inside her jacket pockets and ran towards the scene; she knew basic life support.

"Hey man, are you okay?" the traffic police asked once he had reached the unconscious guy. Kagome quickly checked for the unconscious guy's breathing and pulse.

"None," she told the traffic police.

"Kagome," Mitheal called running towards her. "I know CPR, Kagome," he told her still holding the bouquet of daisies. She rolled her eyes.

"Mitheal!" she scolded frowningly, as she and the traffic police started to do CPR. The traffic police did the rescue breathing while she compressed the guy's chest. However, as the traffic police bent down to blow air into the dead man's mouth, he was roughly pushed away by the seemingly dead man back from hell!

"What the fuck!" the traffic police said unbelievingly, as he looked at the supposedly dead man with wide-eyes.

"Disgusting!" the guy spat, as he threw the traffic police sending the poor law enforcer flying across the street to hit a car's windshield. Everybody gasped and some cried out. Kagome stood rooted on the spot.

"What the fuck is going on?" Mitheal uttered sacredly as he trembled.

"I have found you," the guy said icily. His back faced Kagome.

She stepped backward, as she watched the guy dreadfully. His dark crimson hair clung to his coat as the rain soaked his form. He turned around to face her and she gasped and readied herself. He smirked evilly showing a fang and his crimson eyes pierced hers gravely, his corneas jaundiced as he studied her form.

"I have finally found you, Kagome," he said causing Kagome to gasp wide-eyed. She moved her coat sleeve to reveal her mark. It glinted silver.

"Shit!" Kagome cursed and immediately ran towards the alley. She extended her aura and detected _three, three demons - 2 from the rear moving fast, and 1 just around the corner at the end of the alley._

_How did they find me?_ She thought to herself, coming to a complete halt. It was time to be resourceful. Inside the garbage container was a smashed up piano. She took a piano string and a piece of malleable but hard wood, wounding the piano string on the wood's ends making it a makeshift bow. She took several metal rods from a damaged antenna, mounted one on her makeshift bow and readied her stance drawing the bow taut. She breathed evenly and centered her aura on the metal rod until it was covered by her silver aura. And she shot, as soon as she saw the 2 demons.

"Shit!" she cursed. The makeshift arrow didn't even reach 5 feet and it lacked velocity. The two demons were now moving closer, as the rain poured harder. Kagome she stood there and continued to cuss, becoming more frustrated that out of it she hadn't noticed that her mark was bursting with silver. A ribbon of energy peeked out from her mark to curl around her wrist. She shot again. Now, the metal rod had now reached its target. However, she missed, as her makeshift arrow had only graced the demon's cheek.

"Is that all you got?" the demon shouted, as he licked his blood that trickled down his cheek. He laughed loudly, belittling her, as he and the other demon charged at her. They leapt in midair, claws drawn out and hungry for her flesh.

"God damn it! WORK! You fucking piece of crap!" Kagome yelled; her frustration fueling her aura to grow as the silver ribbon curled further up reaching her elbow. She shot randomly, piercing the first demon's chest, dissolving him into dust in midair.

However, she didn't have the time to make another shot because the other demon was only a second away from slicing her to half. So she blocked his claws with the only object she held at that moment, her makeshift bow. Now, she was weaponless. But that wasn't the case, as she grabbed a metal rod and stabbed the demon dead center in the eye, squashing the demon's eyeballs and piercing his eye sockets to the bone.

The demon howled in pain, and she ran as fast as she could while she searched her mind for ways on how to escape. She had done it many times. She had survived her race's extinction, had fled her birthplace when she was still a child, had left her second family in Japan for the fear of their lives. Surely, she could get out of this alive.

She searched her past memories for whatever it was that could help her. Her Papa had always told her to concentrate and her powers would materialize before her eyes, to picture in her mind what it was that she needed at the moment. And she did.

_A bubble... _She thought.

_A sphere..._

_A shield..._

"One heck of a good barrier!" she said loudly, doing a 180 degree turn. Her aura burst to form a barrier, as she stood her ground against the very angry demon trailing her. The demon clawed his way against the barrier; his eye juices flowing out of his sockets with each strike of his claws.

"Eat this, asshole!" Kagome said and her barrier collapsed to burst forward, blasting the demon with purifying energy and bringing him straight to the wet alley floor.

Kagome sighed deeply and stepped backward to lean on the alley wall. She looked up the dark sky as raindrops squarely hit her face. She closed her eyes savoring it. She really hated the rain.

"Was this the warning you were telling me, Papa?" Kagome asked placing her hand against her neck where her father's beads rested under her shirt. This was the first time she had used her powers ever since that day 12 years ago. And this would be the first that demons had blatantly attacked her in public. She had kept her identity a secret to everybody, and she had been very careful about it. So how did they find her?

Kagome took the hood of her jacket and placed it on top of her head. She started to jog, totally forgetting the fact that she had sensed 3 demons earlier and had only killed two. When she reached the end of the alley, she started to walk; she wouldn't want to look suspicious. She hoped Mitheal had taken her bike back to her apartment. She reached an electronics store and stopped for awhile to listen at the news. She may as well listen, since she would be late anyway. Maybe she could get an excuse from the news. A traffic jam maybe? But she drove a bike and now she was on foot, so not a chance damn it!

"_A one in a billion event will be happening tonight at exactly 12:01 midnight when the sun and 9 of our solar system__s planets will line up in a 180 degree angle. Known as the planetary alignment, scientists say that this event only happens one in every billion years and everyone should witness this once in a lifetime event._

"_In other news, some religious groups and various cults all over the world think this is the end of all things and has called this day, the day of the Apocalypse, as many of them believe that the planetary alignment will open the gates of hell and the devil will come forth to destroy the world._

"_We have Matthew Wedderman in downtown New York to see what everybody thinks about the upcoming planetary alignment tonight. Matthew?_the anchorwoman finished and smiled from the TV screen.

"_Thank you Katherine,_ Matthew Wedderman responded. Kagome stared at the screen. She recognized where Wedderman's at. He was exactly at the end of the block she was in. She started to walk. She was near the University so there was no use taking a cab. She was now passing by Wedderman's crew when…

"We have a young lady here, Katherine. Excuse me miss, what you do think about tonight's planetary alignment?" Wedderman asked her and all of a sudden, a camera was directed at her face. She stood there with wide-eyes, obviously taken by surprise and obviously mindful on how she looked on TV. Hell, she had killed two demons just minutes ago and now she faced America.

She stuttered.

"Um… Ah… I think it's a chance for us to… you know… be part of something phenomenal so I think we should just enjoy the event when it happens," Kagome said. However, Wedderman had suddenly kept quiet. His head was bowed down and his shoulders were tensed, which were very unlikely for a reporter like him.

"Sir?" she asked. "Mr. Wedderman?" She was about to shake him. Was he asleep? Had her answer bored him to death? Or did he have narcolepsy?

Apparently not, because what happened next shocked her and the people around them, and most probably the people watching TV and tuning in because suddenly, Matthew Wedderman dropped his microphone, launched at Kagome, grabbed her neck and choked her.

"Die!" he hissed and pierced her with deathly crimson orbs, not his eye color obviously.

She gasped and immediately extended her aura to defend herself. But it was useless because he was human. She was sure of that, since he didn't emit any demonic aura. That was when she realized he was possessed. But by whom? She didn't need to know that. For now, she needed to get out of his deadly hold, and to do that, she needed to kick his ass… with the cameras rolling.

Grounding her left leg, she kicked his crotch as hard as she could, kneed his gut, and finally, landed a strong kick in the head knocking him out sprawling him on the wet sidewalk. Simultaneously, she sprinted out of the scene and disappeared at the end of the block to take a shortcut to the University.

"What's happening?" Kagome whispered asking herself. Every corner she took, there was someone ready to pounce on her and kill her.

She had reached the University after a 5-minute run and had gone straight to the research department. She didn't have any classes today. She got worse, because today she was on research work with Professor Jacques Twinklebee, a half toad-youkai and head of the anthropology department, who happened to be the head researcher of the research team that she belonged to together with her bestfriend Drake, and 3 other members from different departments. Professor Twinklebee happened to have a strong interest on ancient mythology, races and civilizations, including the history of the Shikon no Tama, the presumably extinct Sanggres, and everything about the great battle that happened almost 500 years ago.

She panted, as she reached the door of the researched department. She was immediately greeted by her bestfriend, Drake Garrett, who at the moment was confused about his sexuality. He was also the number one student of Professor Twinklebee, as his interests were also the same as the professor's.

"My God Kagome! What has happened to you? This must be the ugliest you have ever been! I mean, look at you. You look like a worn out rag. You look like crap!" Drake exclaimed, as he fingered Kagome's wet and very untidy hair with a raised brow. "And by the way, you're very late. Twinklebee's not rejoicing about it," he added and proceeded to his desk.

"Thank you for that absolute display of best friend love, Drake. I really appreciate how you so have blatantly told me I look like shit. How may I ever make it up to you?" Kagome said sarcastically and gave him an I-don't-care-I'm-just-happy-to-be-alive-look. She was glad she was alive after what had happened.

"You could treat me to lunch. That would be good, since I had treated you dinner yesterday. Besides, I was so thoughtful I even requested a song for you this morning," Drake winked at her and faced his computer.

"Here," he said and tossed her a towel. "Pat yourself dry before you go in and face Twinklebee. Might as well be gorgeous while he rants at you, right?"

Kagome only rolled her eyes, while he chuckled.

"You've been literally living here, haven't you?" Kagome asked, while she toweled her hair dry.

"Only for this week… I am going home tonight as a matter of fact," Drake answered, as he scrolled down the images he had in his computer. Kagome peeped at pictures of modern Shikon no Tama imitations, people believed to be Sanggre, close up images of the Sanggre marks, pictures of demons, humans and warriors from the past presumed to have lived 500 years ago or more.

"Oh yeah, I've made a fascinating discovery last night, Kagome. You won't believe what I've found out. Here, look at this," Drake told her, his eyes brightening with enthrallment.

"Last night, I was going around our files and discovered this," he said, as he clicked the folder named Setsuna open to reveal dozens of pictures of a demon with familiar crimson orbs, jaundiced corneas, and dark crimson hair. The only difference was that the demon in the computer had a horn on the right side of his head, and his right cheek was adorned with demon markings. Nevertheless, Kagome had recognized the demon. He was the demon who was hit by the car and injured the policeman earlier.

"Who's he?" Kagome automatically asked, as she stared at the demon on the screen.

"Oh, his story is really fascinating," Drake said excitedly, facing his very serious friend. "You see, Naraku apparently has 5 generals as what the records tell us: Kagura, the wind sorceress; Menomaru, the lord of hell demons; Kaguya, the time witch; Kanna, the soul catcher; and finally, we have Setsuna, master of the corpse demons. It has been believed that all Naraku's generals, minions, whatever you call them have been sent to hell together with their master. But apparently, that isn't the case because as what you can see here, he's still here. By some means Setsuna has escaped that fate and has stayed in the land of the living disguising himself frequently as evident in the following pictures," he explained and clicked for the slideshow.

"Look at this picture," Drake said and a Setsuna wearing a blood red gi and black hakama appeared on the screen. "This was during the bakufu period."

"And look at this one," he continued, as the next picture showed a Setsuna wearing a World War I soldier's uniform.

On the next picture, the demon was a refugee. "This picture was probably taken during the end of World War II in the outskirts of Austria outside the German border," Drake said. All Kagome did was stare at the screen and gripped the towel tightly.

"Clearly, he has traveled around the globe. And look at this one, Kagome. Judging by the hairstyle…" he said, as he jokingly pointed at Setsuna's afro hair style. "This was taken during the 70s."

He chuckled, then asked, "Funny, isn't it?"

_No. _Kagome thought dreadfully, as she glared at the screen.

"Just imagine... Naraku's general wearing the trendiest hairstyle during that time… Hilarious," Drake laughingly said, unaware of Kagome's thoughts. "But isn't it creepy? If you can examine his mind, what must he have been thinking - doing all this time?"

_Probably hunting_Kagome further thought. But her thoughts were interrupted by a bang of the door. The scornful Professor Twinklebee emerged from his office.

"Higurashi, in my office, NOW!" he shouted. Kagome immediately stood up and briskly followed him in his office.

"Told you he was not rejoicing. His eyes were almost popping out!" Drake laughingly remarked.

"Shut up!" Kagome yelled and closed the door to Twinklebee's office. She meekly stood before the door, as she faced Professor Twinklebee.

"Higurashi!" Twinklebee shouted at her.

"Sir!" Kagome answered and stood erect.

"What is the meaning of this?!" he asked pointing at the television screen. She gasped; it was her kicking Matthew Wedderman's ass this morning. She opened her mouth to explain but he continued on.

"And this!" he said turning another TV on that was still showing her beating up the reporter.

"And this…!"

And another television set was turned on.

"And this…!"

She really wondered why he had so many TV sets inside his office.

"Sir, let me explain. He attacked me first," Kagome answered.

"Higurashi, can't you have just shouted for help?! You do not need to actually kick his fucking ass out literally!" Twinklebee told her.

"But Sir," Kagome began but was cut off.

"I am not telling you that you play the damsel in distress, Higurashi. I am just concerned that the people financing the research might have seen this senseless bravado and decide to back out from the project. You know the people behind this research have seen the whole research team. They recognize you, since you have contributed greatly to this research. You are a capable researcher, but this… this… ass kicking thing on national television might hurt the team and the funding," Twinklebee said.

"I am sorry, sir," Kagome said dejectedly.

Twinklebee only sighed.

"It's… it's okay, Higurashi. You're indistinguishable on TV anyway. You look like crap on television. I mean. you look like crap now," he said looking at her. "But most days, you look far more pleasant than crap," he added and Kagome frowned at him.

The door suddenly burst open and Drake went inside carrying a folder. His eyes went straight to watch the 4 television sets showing the same thing.

"Oh Shit! Is that you Kagome? Oh hell yeah! You've whooped Matthew Wedderman's ass quite good. And on national TV! Grrrrrr… feisty!" Drake exclaimed.

Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Lessen the caffeine, Garrett," Professor Twinklebee scolded him.

* * *

Murderous amber eyes followed the graceful walk of the cloaked form that was his target.

"Setsuna," he hissed hatefully, as he gripped Tetsaiga's hilt. Finally, after years of searching, he had found him. He had found the vile creature who took his mother's life right before his eyes when he was still a pup; the conniving demon whose schemes ended up of him murdering the only woman he loved. He had sworn vengeance, and now he would be getting it. The grip he had on his sword tightened and with light feet, he stealthily stalked his prey, barely making a ripple on the puddle of rain beneath his feet.

"That would be 2 dollars and 57 cents, Ma'am," the cashier told Kagome.

* * *

Kagome smiled and handed over 3 dollars taking her change and take-out quickly, and sauntered outside the fastfood joint to walk under unrelenting rain and back to the University. It was still 3 in the afternoon but it looked like early evening, and the street lights were already turned on. She felt chills ran up her spine once she had turned around the corner where the abandoned and to-be demolished apartment complex stood. The building was believed to be haunted, but that was not the case. Someone was watching her… following her.

Then all of a sudden…

CRASH!

She was hit in the gut by an invisible force knocking her straight through the main door of the building. The door quickly gave way stripping the "Keep out. Building unstable" sign. She slowly stood up from the dusty floor when she was hit by that invisible force again. This time, she struck the worn out wall of the lobby.

"Awww," Kagome moaned painfully, coughing out dust. Good thing she wore a backpack; it somehow cushioned her blow and lessened the shock from hitting the wall roughly.

"You Sanggre are really tough, aren't you?" a gravely voice slithered through the silent lobby.

Kagome held her breath as she heard soft thuds moved closer. Something was coming.

"Who's there?" she called, as the building creaked eerily with its unstable foundation. The silhouette of a cloaked form appeared in front of her, slicing through thick dust to reveal the most dreaded demon she had come across.

"Setsuna!" Kagome hissed and stood up, wobbling a little. But nonetheless, she steadied her stance. Setsuna's lips curled to an evil smirk.

"I have to say. I am impressed. You've only met me this morning, yet you already know my name," Setsuna uttered clapping his hands, yet no sound even came out. Kagome swallowed hard. Her hands grew cold and sweaty, and it shook but she didn't let him see it.

"It's a good thing. I have already known yours… Kagome Higurashi," he drawled out slowly as if tasting her name. "Or is it Kagome, daughter of Akira 1567th, the last of the Sanggre," he leered lethally, as he watched Kagome's shocked expression.

"How did you know me? And how did you find me?" Kagome asked him fiercely.

"Simple Kagome… I have traced the aura of what and who has killed all my corpse demons 12 years ago. You see. Your aura is so powerful I still have felt traces of it even a month after the invasion. Isn't that awesome?" Setsuna replied and then chuckled darkly.

"But that's not how I have found you. You must know, Sanggre, I am not the one who has found you. It is her," he said and stepped aside, as a very old woman wearing black and purple miko robes walked forward.

"I'm sure you remember her, Kagome," Setsuna said looking at the said woman lovingly, and then back at a puzzled Kagome. "Don't you remember?" he asked again.

Kagome only looked at the ugly and aged form of the miko confusingly.

"How dare you insult me child! Can you not even recall the person responsible for your parents' death?" the old miko rasped slowly, yet harshly as she moved her robes to reveal a sword, a rather familiar sword. Kagome's eyes narrowed. She knew that sword. She knew it so well, since it belonged to her father.

"I thought I killed you," Kagome hissed with venom.

"You thought wrong, child. I lived," Tsubaki replied. "Don't you know? I have eternal youth. But your powers have stripped me off of that and shorten my life span making me age faster than usual. Look at me now! This is what you have done to me!"

"You deserve it," Kagome said and smirked smugly.

"Silence!" Tsubaki yelled, her aura bursting forth. "I will get my youth back, Sanggre. I will get it back by spilling your blood and drinking it from your veins. I will slowly take your life away and regain mine," Tsubaki drawled, as she pierced Kagome with a predatory gaze. Her serpents emerged from her aura and slithered around her body delicately.

Kagome snorted. She was intimidated, but obviously not showing it.

"Not if I kill you first," Kagome whispered dangerously. Her aura exploded unevenly, cloaking her. A silver ribbon of energy flowed out from her mark, curling up, appearing like a silver water dragon tattoo around her right arm. She took the elastic band from her hair and mounted it tight around her thumb and index finger, as she cloaked it with her aura.

Tsubaki laughed. "What are you trying to do? Kill me with an elastic band filled with your aura?"

"No! Purify your wrinkled ass!" Kagome said, as an arrow materialized from the tips of her fingers. She pulled the elastic band towards her shoulders and released the arrow quickly, which flew straight towards Tsubaki. But a serpent intercepted it and was purified instead.

Setsuna whistled.

"She's a strong one, my love. Do you need some help?" he offered and gave Tsubaki a maliciously loving smile, as he kissed her wrinkled knuckle. Tsubaki nodded, and in an instant, Setsuna was at Kagome's back, ready to strike her out cold. But he never got the chance because he was sent flying across the room by something, or someone wielding an enormous sword.

"I've finally found you, you fucking bastard! Now fuck yourself and go to hell! Wind Scar!" the silver-haired intruder whom Kagome needed to thank for unintentionally saving her said, as he struck his sword against the floored Setsuna. Setsuna was a crumpled pile of dust and rubble on the floor, as parts of the ceiling had broken and had fallen right on top of him.

"Setsuna!" Tsubaki called alarmingly.

"Shut the fuck up, old hag! This fucking piece of shit is fucking mine!" the intruder shouted. His silver mane gracefully swayed side to side, as he walked towards Setsuna's unmoving form. Tsubaki fumed and ordered her remaining serpent towards him but it never did reach its target.

"No fucking way! Your fight is with me bitch!" Kagome yelled and shot the serpent, which hovered closely to the silver-haired intruder's head, down with an arrow.

"What the fuck!" the intruder cursed. The arrow had nearly hit him. "You almost fucking shot me, bitch!" he complained raising Tessaiga against Kagome.

"Shut the fuck up! I fucking saved your ass…" Kagome paused, not knowing how to address him. She noticed a pair of dog ears on top of his silver mane and immediately uttered the first the two words that came to her mind. "DOG BOY!" Kagome said causing "Dog Boy" to glare at her. However, she ignored him. Kagome faced Tsubaki once more and glared.

"I will kill you this time," Kagome said lethally and gathered her aura. Her aura sparked and whirled dangerously. It was volatile, as that of a ticking bomb. Kagome was an untrained Sanggre priestess after all, and she didn't have total control of her power, but she couldn't stop now. She wouldn't.

With the commotion, they hadn't noticed that Setsuna had already recovered and had gotten up. In an instant, he appeared behind Tsubaki. The intruder cursed. The wench had caused him to ignore his prey.

"Inuyasha… I should have known, it was you," Setsuna uttered and smirked.

"You should. I wouldn't want anything else before I'd kill you," Inuyasha replied and raised Tetsaiga. Setsuna only chuckled. Inuyasha charged, not even noting the dangerous purifying aura mounting exponentially around Kagome. He drew Tetsaiga and sliced… nothing but dead air.

"Good luck being purified, hanyou. And send my regards to the lovely Izayoi and Kikyo in hell," Setsuna said. Then he and Tsubaki blurred and vanished. Inuyasha now stood before a ball of Kagome's volatile purifying energy.

"Shit!" Inuyasha cursed and raised Tetsaiga. "Backlash Wave!" he yelled followed by, "Wind Scar!"

Their powers clashed. Inuyasha's first strike halted Kagome's energy ball, while Wind Scar sliced through it, dissecting it to pieces. And it exploded powerfully, throwing them both in opposite direction. Kagome hit the wall pretty hard and was knocked out immediately. Inuyasha, on the other hand, was a demon so he could sustain more damage than her. He recovered a moment later after the impact. The walls of the building shook, and the ceiling started to fall, unable to take the abuse it was subjected to. Inuyasha hurriedly bounded towards the unconscious woman on the floor and carried her out of the building, just in time before it completely collapsed.

The dust settled quickly with the pouring rain. Inuyasha looked around. None… No witnesses; not even a single soul in sight.

"Good," he sighed, as the oblivious rain continued to fall, soaking their forms.

"Now, what am I supposed to do with you?" he said and stared at the woman in his arms. The woman who nearly killed him, unintentionally of course. But more hauntingly, the woman who looked just like his lost love… Kikyo.

* * *

_AN: Under Pressure was sang by Queen._


End file.
